For the last few weeks, President Obama's administration has lobbied Congress for approval for a limited strike on Syria as a response to chemical weapons attacks U.S. officials blame on President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Today, Obama threw his support behind a diplomatic alternative: United Nations Security Council talks aimed at removing Syria's chemical weapons. Still, he continued to advance the fallback idea of airstikes against Assad's government if the agreement falls through.

The president is set to address the country from the White House tonight.

Assad has denied using chemical weapons on his people.

According to a recent Associated Press poll, 61 percent of Americans want Congress to vote against authorization of U.S. military strikes in Syria.